Alex Rider, The SAS and Brooklands
by Psycho.Kitty.EtonMess
Summary: We all love the Alex Rider stories. But lets bump it up. Lets mix Alex-goes-to-live-with-SAS-member with Jack's-death-mucks-Alex-up with Alex's-secret-is-outed and don't forget Alex's-class-go-to-Brecon or Alex-has-to-hide-his-secret-from-SAS/Brooklands. And then add a surprise element, someone that nobody ever expects and see how it turns out! :) Enjoy! :)
1. Chapter 1

**Right – I've been through the entire story and tried to tie up any holes and lose ends – if you spot any more – let me know!**

**Disclaimer – this is not an original piece of work – everything you even remotely recognise belongs to Anthony Horrowitz! **

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

Chapter One

Three days after Jack's death, Alex stood looking out over the Thames listening as the clock struck 12 noon, marking the start of her funeral in California. The hustle and bustle around the teenaged-superspy made no difference to his grief. In fact it made it easier to cope.

He stayed for three-quarters of an hour before moving off to make his 1 o'clock appointment with Blunt and Jones.

At 17 years old, Alex had seen almost everything that a person could see and still be sane; he'd made it his life's mission to bring Scorpia down to their knees and three years on it was crashing down around their heads. MI6 had finally given him the official status of Agent on his 16th birthday, avoiding any legalities, and had been adding to his trust fund as he completed various missions since he first began working for them at 14.

They'd provided for a tutor for the second year of his GCSE's and his grades had shot up giving the school no reason to not accept his request to continue studying at Brookland for his A-levels, apart from his absences of course.

Now, in the February of his AS', Scorpia had struck back intending to kill him but killing Jack instead. He body had been flown back to her family in California but MI6 had refused his request to attend her funeral. He understood, but was still bitter at not being able to say good-bye for the last time. That was what his time opposite the London Eye had been about.

But he had to move on with his life and was ready to see what Blunt and Jones felt was so important to talk about. He parked his Yamaha YZF-R1 across the street and walked into the Bank taking his helmet off as he went going straight to the elevator and up to the 17th floor.

Blunts' office was exactly as he remembered it, spacey but empty. Blunt, looking grey as usual, was seated behind his desk while Jones perched on a seat to Blunts' left sucking on a peppermint. For the hundredth time Alex wondered why she had that specific habit.

He smiled briefly and sank on the only remaining seat in the room opposite Blunt.

"Alex," said he. "We need to discuss an arising problem for you with this new government initiative. As you have heard our prime minister and his party have decided that due to the cuts made by the coalition to the Army, Air Force and Navy has left us without enough soldiers and they have devised a plan for four Comphrensive School's in London to visit a Navy, Army, Air Force and SAS base in England. Brookland has been chosen to take part in this initiative."

Jones took over as Blunt paused. "We tried to head them off Brookland but the more we did the more determined Mr. Miliband became that it would be your school to take part."

Blunt continued; "obviously this poses a threat to your secrecy but you are one of the students chosen for the initiative and there isn't much that we can do to stop it. So, we're going to take advantage of it. Your fitness will be tested at the appropriate level and you will continue to work towards increasing it."

Jones carried on; "Unfortunately Brookland has been chosen to visit the SAS in Brecon Beacons for the month trial. It begins on in one month and you may recognise some of the recruits and officers as they have a refresher course each year. None of them will be told that you are going back to Brecon. We are relying on your skills and the fact that you look different than you did three years ago."

Alex nodded and ran a hand through his messy hair, trying to take it all in. He understood of course, but he was still worried. If he met the unit he had trained with it may lead to some difficulty as he had bumped into them over the years. Luckily Ben wouldn't be there as he was the only one who could see through his 'disguises'.

Blunt spoke up again; "Your school will be told tomorrow that their school has been chosen to participate and that it is your year that is _lucky _enough to go. You will be all given a medical examination, but there are things that we can't explain away, so we will send word that you will be checked by your doctor before you leave. Good luck, Alex."

Alex smiled roughly, nodded to Mrs. Jones and left heading back to his house in Chelsea. As time had gone by he'd realised that he couldn't not be a spy and that it made no difference if he argued. Now that he was older he had more rights to backup, rest periods and medical help. His rest periods were still short but that was his choice, he found trouble on a regular basis and couldn't leave it alone. Alex had also become quieter, he could prod people in the right direction and was brilliant at getting most to give him all the information he needed but he was a great listener and picked up on things others might not.

Back home, Alex sighed and picked up the phone to call Tom, but unsure how to tell his best friend put it back down again. Making a cup of tea he switched on his laptop, found his chemistry coursework in the bottom of his bag and set to it.

He finished within a couple of hours, way ahead of all of his other classmates, thanks to his tutor, and headed to the attic where he had transformed Ian's old office into a training centre. He had mats, punch bags and weights. For the rest of his training he had his dojo down the road, his daily runs and the gym. Not to mention the monthly tests that MI6 set to make sure he stayed in shape.

Pulling out a mat, Alex set to push-ups and sit-ups before moving on to the punching bag. He attempted to wear himself out before eating warmed-up spaghetti bolognas and heading for a shower and bed.

* * *

**By the way – I've put a time-line for the story on my profile – so if you get confused as to the timing of the story look there! As I've re-written parts of it you shouldn't get confused… but… :P**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer – I own nothing that you already know from the Alex Rider series**

**Happy reading :)**

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Chapter Two

Alex slept the whole night through for once, but still woke too early for the normal teenager. Going for his run around the Chelsea area, Alex thought about the upcoming dilemma. He had to behave in a way that wouldn't raise any of his peer's suspicions – especially when he was supposed to have a weak and sickly disposition – but someone at the SAS base would be assessing him and he had to give that his all.

He got back to his house without reaching a decision, and like with most of his missions, he decided to just go along with it. He'd do the best he could.

Riding into school on his Yamaha, Alex scanned the grounds for Tom. His only friend left at Brooklands, the others still found him a complete mystery. Tom was with Sophia, his girlfriend, so Alex left him to it and headed into the Post 16 common room and ditched his bag on a chair before flopping onto another one. He and Tom had first period free on a Monday morning, so they usually used the time to catch up as Alex wasn't Tom's only friend.

The common room held a canteen at one end that was next to the seats and tables area and then opened up to a big space that held several sofa's most of which had been dumpster diving at one point.

He leant back in his chair and closed his eyes just as his phone vibrated. Unlocking it, he studied the message. _There has been an assembly arranged for Period 5 this afternoon, please can all students attend._ He smiled grimly as Tom slid himself into a chair and his phone on the table.

"Anything to do with you?"

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you."

"So it is to do with you!"

"Nope." He paused. "The new government initiative."

Tom rolled his eyes; "what, the one that were they are threatening to send us off to Army bases?"

"Not threatening. Doing."

"Wicked! Is Brooklands going? Which base? Are you going? What about all your 'medical' stuff – how are they going to explain that?"

Alex tilted his chair back and grinned. "Yes, Brecon Beacons, yes, haven't a clue."

"Hang on; I can't even remember the questions that I asked!"

"Yes, Brooklands is going – but only because Miliband was dead set on defying MI6, we're staying at an SAS base in Brecon Beacons, Wales, yes, I am going – they're forcing me back – and they said that they'd sort all of the 'medical' stuff out themselves, so, yeah." Alex waved his right hand in a vague direction as he finished talking.

"Is Brecon the same place that," he paused, leant forward and continued in a whisper; "_they_ sent you when you first disappeared?"

Alex smiled indulgently at Tom's childish behaviour – any spy knew that making it obvious you were talking about something secret was the best way to get your cover blown. Out of the corner of his eye he could see some of the football team watching Tom and Alex. Phil spoke to Sam and then made his way over the two boys discussing Alex's secret. He plopped himself down next to Tom before speaking.

"What are you talking about in such covert ways, Tom?" Phil never even glanced at Tom to intent on trying to make Alex squirm under his gaze. But Alex had faced some pretty severe gazes and wasn't intimidated in the slightest, leaving it to Tom to defend him or not.

"Alex knows which schools have been chosen for the initiative, but he won't tell me his ways of getting such information…" Alex smirked wondering how on earth Tom was going to get out of this.

"You know which schools?" Phil addressed Alex this time.

"I have my ways."

Phil frowned but carried on; "Which are they? Or are you just trying to be the big man?"

Alex merely smiled as he checked his phone which had gone off yet again. _Here at the Royal and General we pride ourselves on great customer service. For a full update on all of your financial services please join us this evening at 5.30pm. _Rolling his eyes in Tom's direction he faced Phil. "Hey, some of us need the mystery. See you later Tom." And so saying he left a befuddled Phil and a laughing Tom behind him as he walked to his first appointment of the day. A half-an-hour session with the school's psychiatrist. The school had insisted on it if he was to continue with Brookland Comprehensive for his A-levels.

Dr. White was a small, nervous, blonde woman who was easily confused by Alex and usually finished their sessions early to make sense of the young man before her next troubled patient. As usual, by the end of the session, Alex was thoroughly enjoying himself as he wound the good Doctor into a panic. He went off whistling towards his first lesson, maths.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer – Any of Anthony Horrowitz's work that you see does not belong to me… :)**

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Chapter Three

It was in Alex's third lesson that it happened. Five men with ski masks and armed to the teeth burst into the classroom, letting lose a volley of fire as the students dived for cover, under desks and behind chairs screaming hysterically. Tom and Alex (Physics was the only lesson the pair shared) exchanged looks as they also scrambled for cover.

Alex slipped Tom his phone glad that Tom knew who to call; he and Alex had been over it a hundred times. He himself concentrated on blending in with the other hysterical teenagers.

By the time that the class had recovered from the shock of being invaded, the door had been barricaded and one man stood by the window.

"Our moto; _never forgive, never forget_. There's one person in here that has escaped Scorpia's wrath for three years." He paused for effect, leaving Alex praying that they didn't get round to saying his name.

A small being dropped from the roof of the classroom, crouching on her high heeled gothic, laced-up boots, a pair of throwing knives in her hands as a Compact Semi-Automatic Smith and Western landed next to Alex's hand. She also had a strung long-bow over her shoulder and a quiver of black arrows. Underneath the bow she had a snipers gun strapped to her back.

He snatched up the S&W, glancing around to make sure no one else had noticed – their attention was fixated on the girl standing in the centre of the room.

The girl had the knives down at her sides, still ready in her gloved hands. No fingerprints, she was a professional. Dressed in black leather skin-tight trousers and halter top, she abandoned her leather jacket on a table as she leant against it.

"Drava, what a surprise." She drawled.

"Get out of the way Ivy, what the hell are you doing here?"

"You really weren't going to invite me for the fun were you? No matter," She sighed. "I make my own fun." 'Ivy' brought her knives up into position, ready to throw or fight. "I hope you know how to use that." She said – to whom it was intended no one knew, except Alex.

Another of the men spoke. "What the hell are you on Ivy? You can't be the traitor."

"Why ever not Po? Is it because I'm a girl?" Ivy shifted her head as if to frown in a confused manner at 'Po.' Alex had realised that they were using European rivers names and flower names as code names. He was willing to bet his life that 'Ivy, Drava and Po' were not their real names.

He was also betting the 'Ivy' was also known as 'The Black Arrow' to most of the intelligence agencies of the world. He didn't know anyone else who carried black arrows around. The Black Arrow was an assassin who was amazingly good at what she did and had a knack of shooting people with an arrow at an impromptu moment. Up until now, no one had got a good look at the assassin, despite all the resources poured into finding him or her.

The second that the words had left her mouth, the five men had fired but 'Ivy' was already moving and had dispatched two men, covering herself with their bodies, and had just hit another with a knife. Glancing at the S&W Alex saw the silencer and fired at the last two men, hitting one and wounding another as he fell with a knife in his chest.

Just as the last man fell, Drava, a pounding began on the other side of the door. "SAS, open up!" Ivy shot a glance towards the door and then rounded on Alex who was still crouched with his classmates. She had collected her knives and a blooded one made its way around his neck. His head was forced back by the blonde haired, light-grey eyed, pale skinned girl. She had moved like a dancer but now held onto his hair with a deadly grip.

"My father loved you." She whispered into Alex's ear. "I don't even remotely like you. But if I want out – and I do – I need you. That means it's your lucky day, help me and I'll help you." She slipped him an envelope down the front of his shirt, scoped up her S&W and jacket, and sauntered down to the now broken window (thanks to all the bullets) as the SAS barged into the room.

Nobody said anything as the SAS took in the situation apart from the girl. "Shit." She leapt for the window but a barrage of fire stopped her as she was told; "HANDS ABOVE YOUR HEAD! I REPEAT, HANDS ABOVE YOUR HEAD." She did so, throwing Alex a dirty look as she was handcuffed and, blindfolded, once it became obvious that she had taken out the five men single-handed. Or that was what Alex was letting them believe.

The police arrived moments later and she was escorted to a vehicle as the physics class were herded down towards reception, where hot drinks and police officers waiting to take their statements stood. Crawley arrived at some point amidst all of the chaos, checking on Alex before leaving with 'Ivy' for the bank and reminding him of his appointment this afternoon – he stressed it very clearly and Alex promised not to forget.

After being allowed to go back to classes if they wished, the students of Brooklands A-level physics class had a story to tell to their friends. People began to avoid Alex even more than usual as the afternoon wore on.

Fifth period eventually rolled around and the announcement was made that the school was taking part in the government initiative and that all Year 12s were to participate. Alex left school with an exhilarated Tom by his side, eventually carrying on alone after they'd passed Tom's street.

Now it was time for his meeting with Blunt and Jones and he had a feeling that this would be the last he saw of Tom for a while.


	4. Chapter 4

**Getting bored of doing a disclaimer so…. From now on we're going to pretend that I've done it every time and not when I feel like it – although nothing you recognise belongs to me!**

**Enjoy :)**

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Chapter Four

Alex sat in Blunts office as Blunt requested that Alex stay at the Bank for the night and then stay with an SAS member until the business with Scorpia was resolved. He'd been told that they'd received information that Scorpia were pouring everything into killing Alex. He was to be on high alert until otherwise.

Yes, Scorpia had been the ones to try and out Alex at school, they wanted revenge and they were getting pretty desperate and Alex shut down more and more of their operations. The girl that they had captured had given them nothing yet and they were waiting for Alex to begin a full scale interrogation. He was the one leading the operation on Scorpia so anything done had to have his approval.

Alex declined seeing the girl from the classroom and opted instead for a meal and a workout at the gym before bed.

* * *

The next day dawned bright and early. Too early even for Alex – although he had got up at this exact time yesterday. Alex dragged his butt out of bed, showered and headed for the canteen and a large cup of hot black bitter coffee. A brew that he couldn't decide if he liked or not.

Sitting at one of the tables, Alex attracted stares from all corners but ignored them as he opened the letter that 'Ivy' had given him yesterday.

_Alex_

_I understand that getting a letter shoved at you by a homicidal Scorpia Agent may not be the best way to show you that I want out of it all, but it was the best way for me to vent my feelings and solve the crisis at hand. _

_As a Scorpia agent I have murdered a great deal of people and can no longer deal with it. I know that my father only ever wanted what was best of me even though he never wanted a child. On the other hand I only wanted to impress my father and become the son he never had. It was the reason I allowed Scorpia to train me from such a young age._

_I was always a mature young child; I understood things more quickly than the rest of my peers and it was only the first five years of my life that I spent in a non-violent way. I want you to know that I never understood another way of life was possible, not for a long time. _

_Of course my father had already started to train me to be able to defend myself. He didn't want me to be used against him. Therefore I don't remember a time where martial art practise was not a necessity or a time where my father wasn't on alert for trouble. But I want to start making time for these things; I want to have a normal future. _

_I understand, of course, that there will be consequences to what I have spent the majority of my life doing, and therefore I propose that you allow me to work with you. To help a country that I have hurt in the past. How do I know I can trust you, I hear you think. My answer is simple and disconcerting. You don't, you never will. But perhaps my testimony of all the illegal deeds that I have done and help in bringing Scorpia down will help you to decide. _

_If you decide that you want my help, or that you're going to arrest me, I'm staying at 90 Old Church Street B&B, Chelsea, London, SW3 6EP. Or I'm being held by MI6, but there's only a one percent chance that that will happen. But I bet it will now that I've mentioned it._

_Please, let me know either way. I can't run from both Scorpia and MI6, help me do the right thing._

_Rosemarie Gregorovich._

Alex blinked at the familiar name at the end of the sheet of paper he was reading. He had no way of knowing if what she said was true. Whatever, it was too early for this sort of thing. He stuck the letter back into the envelope along with the passport, identity card and credit card that had fallen out as he had pulled the letter out.

He took a sip of his coffee, screwing his nose up as the flavour hit the back of his throat, and then put his head on the table. That was why he never saw Ben, Wolf, Snake, Eagle and Cheetah accompanying Rosemarie into the canteen and heading for his table at Ben's request.

"Is that coffee?" A woman's voice said as Alex's head shot up. Rosemarie, looking sleepy, had already picked up Alex's coffee and was in the process of taking a sip. He raised his eyebrows at her. She ignored him and attempted to get up. Wolf's hand on her arm stopped her. "I only wanted a cup of tea." She said as she glared at Wolf. Wolf didn't seem fazed. Ben stood up; "I'll get you one, sugar? Anybody else want anything else?"

A muffled voice replied; "Something edible." Alex had slid back to his previous position of slouching onto the table.

"No sugar please, but something to eat would be great." She chirped with a dazzling smiled aimed in Ben's direction.

"You know, Yassen never seemed especially chirpy. Did you get that gene from your mother?"

"I never knew my mother, she killed herself – so I don't think she was especially _chirpy_." She spoke as if she was trying not to laugh, Alex gritted his teeth.

Ben made his way over a few seconds with a cup in one hand and a plate piled high with edibles oblivious to the tension that all at the table felt or he ignored it. Mrs. Jones made her way over to the group.

"Alex, this is Wolf, Eagle, Fox, Snake and the newest recruit is Cheetah, these are the men that you and _Ivy_ will be staying with until you're to go to Brecon Beacons in three weeks meeting your year group there. We need to know everything that _Ivy_ knows, who she is and whether she is completely loyal to Scorpia or not."

Rosemarie sat there with a bored look on her face as if she couldn't understand what was being said.

"We already have two of those things covered, but I will be withholding the information until further notice. Thank you Mrs. Jones." Mrs. Jones was taken aback by the forceful and dismissive tone that emanated from Alex as he fixed his stare on Rosemarie.

"Very well. You will be staying in a four bed-roomed apartment that we own in Camden Gardens, South Hampstead. Daniels knows all of the details, stay safe Alex." And with that Mrs. Jones left, leaving K-unit, Ben, Alex and Rosemarie in silence.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Alex couldn't believe that he had to spend the next two months with the three people he had successfully avoided for the past three years. Inside he was fuming, but he showed none of that to his new roommates. Jack had been the only roommate he had ever wanted, but she had been gone four days.

None of the men could match her, and as for Yassen's self-proclaimed daughter, he'd watch her and see what he could find out but she was a part of the organisation that had so coldly murdered Jack.

He hated them. This hatred was stronger than before Jack's death and he swore again that he would bring them down slowly, painfully and in a most humiliating way.

Ditching his now cold coffee on the table he left to collect his clothes and school work from his house in Chelsea, wanting to be alone but unable to get rid of Ben.

"We'll use my car, Alex. I don't think your bike can carry that much."

"I don't need that much Ben."

"Actually Alex, it's because we need to talk."

Alex glanced sideways at Ben, who had on a carefully neutral expression. He could tell that Ben was worried about him; it was something that set him apart from the heads of MI6. Just as he had done on countless missions, Ben was there for him. Alex. Not MI6's toy, Alex.

In a way Ben had the right to ask to talk and Alex was going to oblige him.

They had been driving for a few minutes before Ben began; "K-Unit didn't have a clue who you are, the only thing that they're curious about is the fact that someone so young is in MI6." He paused for a moment, uncomfortable. "As much as I hate to deceive my friends, I don't want them to recognise you. As Cub they might not know about the bullet wounds, but they know he's been in hospital a lot. They've been fed the same line as your school, though they complain bitterly about it. What they don't know is how dangerous Cub's job is or that you're Cub."

"I've successfully avoided them for three years Ben, what makes you think that I'll give in that easily? Pull over here, I need some bits and pieces."  
Ben pulled over with a frown on his face. Alex sighed. "I need to get some hair dye. And contacts, but I'll get those from Smithers. Wait here a sec."

So saying, Alex jumped out of the car and ran into boots. He was out again a couple of minutes later carrying a box of dark brown easy dye.

"New look, Alex?" Ben queried.

"If I'm going to be part of the unit when the Brookland students arrive, then they can't recognise me."

"I see." Ben said. "Your guardian died a couple of days ago, didn't she." He paused looking at Alex. "If you ever need anyone, I'm right here."

Alex stared out of the window, trying to hold the tears back. He didn't usually cry over anything but having Ben offer him support after Jack had died, gave him hope. Hope that he was doing the right thing and that people would be there for him when he needed them the most.

"Thanks Ben." Alex choked out, as they arrived in front of the house Alex had shared with Ian and then Jack.

He hoped out as quickly as he could and Ben had the sense to stay put and let Alex sort himself out.

By the time he had collected his belongings, Alex had fully composed himself and his mask was back in place.

Ben didn't say a thing as he took in the young man's face. It was closed off and his eyes looked like a soldiers eyes. But Ben had a suspicion that this spy hadn't bothered to talk or listen to his psychologist. He'd have to change that if he was to be responsible for the teenaged superspy.

The short drive to the flat that they would all be staying in was tense on both sides. As Ben was parking he finally spoke; "K-Unit and 'Ivy' will already have arrived. Can you cook?"

Alex frowned at Ben in a puzzled way as he changed subjects. But nodded at Bens question; "sure."

"Good," Ben replied. "Cause none of us are any good."

Alex smiled at the thought of K-Unit and Ben trying to cook a meal and failing miserably. "That's fine. It gives me something to do."

"Right." Ben looked at Alex anew. What kind of 17 year old boy volunteers to cook? Not a normal one, obviously not a normal one, but when had Alex ever been normal.

Alex, on the other hand, was ignoring Ben as he grabbed his bag and made his way into the apartment. Where he was greeted with the site of four fully grown men attempting to hold a 5ft 3inch, 110pound girl. "Fox! The handcuffs!" One of the jumble cried. Alex burst out laughing.

Fox stalked in behind, grabbed the handcuffs and proceeded to help truss her up. The poor girl probably only wanted a stretch and now she sat there fuming.

Laughing Alex moved down the hall to the room he'd be using. Ben was sharing with 'Ivy', Wolf with Snake and Eagle with Cheetah.  
It was nearly time for school, if Alex had Ben drop him off at his bike now - he'd make even if he was half-an-hour late.

He swung around the living room door; "Ben, would you drop me off at the bank?"

"MI6 don't want you at school for the next three weeks, Alex. They've arranged for your tutor to come here.

Alex scowled. "I need my bike anyway, Ben."

Ben sighed and got up. "Straight back here, y'hear me?"

"Crystal, Ben, crystal."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"Hey, kid, anything medically relevant I need to know?" Snake asked as he walked past Alex's open door where he was engrossed in chemistry coursework.

Alex knew he couldn't be a complete idiot and not tell Snake anything, but he didn't want him making the connection between Alex Rider and Cub. Although Snake's use of 'kid' was rather insulting. "I've got a lot of scars, but nothing particularly new. No stitches or bruising the last ones had the stitches out about 6 weeks ago, and no fractures or breaks within the last year." He paused for a moment taking in Snakes worried expression but moved straight on. "If something becomes relevant I'll tell you about it." Snake opened his mouth to protest but Alex cut him off. "If I'm not in a position to tell you anything, Ben will tell you. But don't pressure him about anything now, he won't say."

Snake frowned. "If you're not going to tell me about any of your injuries... What about allergies?"

"None. I don't have asthma or a weak immune system, heck, even different kinds of water don't bother me and I've got 20-20 vision. The only thing that even remotely fits into those categories is the fact that my skin went itchy if I used bubble bath as a child!" Alex smiled properly, almost laughing at himself.

Snake was astounded by the difference a smile made to the young face in front of him. He looked younger, as if a weight had been lifted. But even as Snake watched, his face rearranged itself back to its normal guarded expression.

"Okay." Snake said. "Let me know if anything changes." Alex nodded and turned back to the last few sentences he needed to write, while Snake pushed off the door frame and made his way into the living room.

"Anyone else think that kid looks kinda familiar?" He asked the room in general although he was watching Ben in particular - he had his own theory about who the kid was. Ben didn't so much as blink at Snakes question, but answered in a normal fashion. "You've probably seen him around and helped him out at some point." Ben paused. "Professionally, of course."

A small voice piped up from the corner. "He's lying to you, y'know."

Wolf glared at Ivy. "We're not interested in your trouble making."

Ivy glared back at him; "Перейти ебет себя" she said before turning back to the window.

"Imaginative." Alex drawled as he leant on the door frame. "Everyone okay with fajitas?" He asked.

Eagle looked at him with amazement. "You can cook?" He asked in an awed voice.

Alex raised his eyebrows giving Eagle a look that said seriously? He nodded slowly in Eagle's direction as he went into the kitchen. Eagle followed him.

When Alex turned to face him, Eagle said; "What?! I haven't had my second lunch today."

"How on earth do you survive at Brecon?" Eagle grinned. "Kitchen duty."

Alex snorted. "Come on, I'll teach you."

* * *

While they ate dinner Rose was allowed to have one of her wrists free, but K-Unit kept jumping each time she moved even the slightest bit. Alex was fed up of it by the end of the meal and obviously Rose was to. So when it came to cleaning up, he volunteered himself and Rose, which the five men protested against. "Look at her." Alex said. "She's been cooped up all day she probably wants a stretch. What harm can she do while I'm watching her?"

"It took five full grown men to hold her down earlier, Alex. You tell me what she could do." Ben said.

Alex turned to Rose. "Your training has involved fighting off large groups of people who are all bigger than you and not letting them get hold of you hasn't it." He waited for confirmation and got it. "Plus Ben, you forget that I've had training which was then boosted by Scorpia as well. She won't get away from me."

Ben sighed but relented. Alex walked into the kitchen. "Aren't you forgetting something, Alex?"

"Nope." He replied. "You should have noticed that she kept switching the hand she was eating with. Shame on you Ben."

Rose rolled her eyes but stood up, collected the plates and followed Alex into the kitchen.

"I'll wash, you dry." Alex told her.

She nodded and went back out for the other dishes. K-Unit watched her suspiciously but did nothing as she stacked the dishes. "If you're an assassin," Cheetah began, "how come you don't wear your hair back." He asked as he watched her tuck her hair behind her ear for the umpteenth time.

"None of your business." She replied.

Ben leant forward; "how did you get out of the handcuffs, you don't have anything on you."

She sighed in a world weary way and reached for the back of her head. K-Unit all reached for their tasers. Rose rolled her eyes, threw a hair grip on the table and left with the dishes saying; "always check a girls hair. You're lucky; I already lost my chopsticks."

Back in the kitchen Alex raised his eyebrows; "you have chopsticks as weapons?"

She sighed and then grinned; "no, but I wish I did."

Picking up a wet plate she turned to Alex to speak again and dropped the plate.

It smashed and brought K-Unit and Ben running. "Its' okay guys, she just dropped a plate. Its' okay, you can relax. Rose, put the radio on."

He got the dustpan and brush out, gave them to Rose and picked up the biggest bits putting them in an empty container, then put the container down where Rose could put the other smaller pieces into it.

"Sorry," She said. "I'm not usually this big of a clutz."

He shrugged. "Doesn't matter." He said as he watched her twirl around the room, putting things away, from the darkened window in front of the sink.

"You read my letter then?"

He nodded and breathed in deeply. She stopped dancing and began to watch him nervously. "I can't go back, Alex. Not if i value my life or my father's wishes."

"I met Yassen several times and he never seemed particularly bothered about his career choice."

"I know you met him. It always ended up with Scorpia's failure when you were around. But the job got to him in the end; it always gets to you in the end. You were the reason the job got to him, he began to grow a conscience and it grew each time he saw you fighting for your country." She threw her dark mood off and began dancing to Michel Jackson's 'beat it' again.

Alex struggled not to laugh, she was an awful dancer, even though she seemed to walk, or run, with the grace of a dancer, just like her father actually.

She danced her way back over to the sink for another dish and slipped on the wet patch from where she'd dropped the plate earlier, smacking her hand loudly on the counter and crying out quietly. Alex caught her as she fell.

Realising for the first time that it was a beautiful woman he was keeping prisoner and holding in his arms, if he just...

Rose, on the other hand, had already realised how cute Alex was and was just silently begging him to kiss her already.

They both recoiled at the same time as they realised just what the other person was to them. To Alex she was someone that had lead to Jack's death and part of the organisation that he was destroying piece by piece. To Rose he was the person her father had loved more than her and the reason for her cruel and unusual punishments which had been administered when her father failed due to Alex Rider.

Neither of them had noticed K-Unit and Ben in the door way who now shuffled nervously as Rose fell the rest of the way to the floor.

She got up slowly, and backed into the counter, tea-towel in hand, reaching for another dish. She looked almost afraid of them all.

Alex ran a hand through his hair. "What." He said to the men gathered at the doorway, they shrugged and moved as a unit back into the living-room, apart from Ben who gave Alex a look. "Just go, Ben." Ben nodded, glanced at Rose and left.

"Put the last of the dishes away, I'm going to bed." Alex said as he ran his hand through his hair again. In the living-room he asked one of the men to sit in the kitchen while Rose finished tidying.

Rose was scared. She remembered what Rob had done and couldn't believe that she'd wanted Alex Rider of all people to kiss her. All she knew is that she was never going back to being at Rob and Scorpia's mercy.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Alex didn't sleep the night through and funnily enough neither did Wolf.

They met in the kitchen, where Wolf was nursing a hot cup of tea and looking worn out. "Any tea in the pot?" Alex asked.

Wolf grunted an affirmative and watched Alex sink into the chair opposite him with his own cup. "Snake's right. You do look familiar. You remind me of Cub." He took a slurp of tea.

"Who's Cub?" Alex asked, trying to ignore the fact that the subject was a little too close for comfort.

"He was some kid we met during training. I gave him a hard time, but damn the kid kept up with us the entire time!" He paused, lost in thought. "I saw him only once again, three years ago, he was attending this private school for troubled boys. Anyhow, he ended up snowboarding down a mountain on an ironing board, and helped us during the raid on the school. Then he had the balls to say "I sleighed him" when I asked what he had done to the 'good' doctor who had been running the school." He shook his head. "The kid seriously earn't my respect."

"Sounds like a lad." Alex paused and then asked; "what happened to him?"

Wolf shrugged. "Don't know, we get updates now and then, but he seems to spend a lot of time in hospital. Seems odd when you think about it. I mean, he trained with SAS soldiers and now he can't go a week without checking in at some hospital."

"Oh." Alex said. Like Ben had thought K-Unit didn't seem to be getting the truth when it came to Cub and his job. Alex was happier that way. He didn't need to be so careful. He took a slurp of his tea and almost spat it out again. Wolf had obviously been sitting there for a while.

He got up to make himself another, fresher, cup of tea, when Snake padded into the kitchen. "Tea?" Alex asked. Snake nodded and ran a weary hand through his hair.

"Alright, James?" Snake queried.

"Just about." Wolf or James said.

"You need to stop blaming yourself."

"I can't. It was my fault."

"You were following orders." Snake snapped back.

James replied in a thick voice. "Kyle, I should have ignored my orders. Should've done the right thing to start with, rather than sit on my arse and let those people die!"

"You did ignore those orders, James. You did the right thing."

"Not soon enough to help. I knew that those orders where bullshit and I still followed them."

"You argued against them."

"I should have just let them argue amongst themselves and done the right thing, not argued with them!"

Alex broke in; "what do you think would have happened if you'd gone in sooner?"

"We could have saved them."

"You wouldn't have been able to." Kyle and James both stared at Alex. "You'd have joined them." He stated.

"I know you're talking about the fiasco in the middle-east that happened last week. I was there. In that building. The only reason I got out of there was because of a trick someone taught me a long time ago. I didn't know those people were in the building."

He looked away from the stares of the two men. His gaze landing on Eagle in the doorway.

"I doubt you've ever faced a real group of Scorpia agents. They're ruthless, observant, adept at stopping and disposing of units of army and SAS men. You would have been killed or caught and taken back to that building where you would have been blown to pieces." Alex paused and drew in a breath. "I pressed that button. I blew that place sky-high. I murdered men, woman, children, soldiers, agents and a group of professional Scorpia agents. I broke a lot of hearts that night: ruined a lot of dreams. It was my way out and I took it. If I'd know the outcome of that path - I may have still picked it." He dropped his cup into the sink. "I'm going for a run."

Alex left, thinking of one of the people he'd murdered because of those agents and their bluff that he called.

Jack.

Turned out it hadn't been a bluff.

James, Kyle and Drew stared blankly at the door Alex had left by. In his pyjama bottoms. At three o'clock in the morning.

The agent obviously wished he'd known what was going too happened and if he could have prevented it. Although his last statement 'I may still have picked it' haunted the three men left in the kitchen.

On the other hand Alex was pondering the irony that he and Wolf had been woken by the same nightmare.

And that Wolf blamed himself for Alex's actions.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight  
All Rose could think about was how alone she was. None of the soldiers wanted her around and Alex seemed to hate her.

Well that was alright. She hated him too, even if he had the looks of Adonis himself.

She'd heard voices in the kitchen and longed to know what they were talking about, but she didn't want to let anybody think that she was trying to escape. Rose heard the back door open and close and silently made her way to the window to see who was leaving at this time in the morning.

It was Alex. In pyjamas by the looks of things. She frowned, obviously he had a lot on his mind.

He'd almost made his way to the street before he realised he was only half dressed in bed-clothes. Frowning he reversed his steps and shimmed up the drain pipe to her left and in through an open window there.

Rose crept over to the man who was supposed to be watching her and, with quiet and practised skill, took the keys to the door off of him, before slipping out of the room and into the one Alex had just entered.

"Hi." She said as he watched her enter, a tee-shirt in hand. Rose tried not to stare at the expanse of finely-toned chest bare in front of her, swallowed and looked away.

He continued to look at her, she was wearing a pair of boxers and a tank-top, but they did nothing to hide her shapely figure or her toned legs.

Legs covered in thin silver scars, Alex noticed.

Still, standing there, looking her over, was turning him on. He was only human and male at that and she was scantily dressed. Scowling he turned away, pulled his shirt on and got his button up shirt from earlier and threw it towards the beautiful girl standing in front of his closed bedroom door.

"Where's Ben?" He asked, although not worried. If she was attempting to escape she wouldn't have come in here and spoken to him.

She held up the keys she'd stolen off Ben. "Guilty." She said. "I couldn't sleep, so I stole the keys and crept out. He's still fast asleep, I have light fingers." She shrugged and his shirt slipped off her shoulder for a second before she tugged it back up again.

Angry with himself for noticing such a small movement, he snapped at her; "and what gave you the impression that I would receive your company with pleasure?"

On the inside Rose was daunted, but she hid it well. She'd grown up in a verbally volatile atmosphere and could defend herself easily. "Maybe I just wanted to know why someone would leave at three in the morning... in bed-clothes?"

Alex scowled. "Why does that concern you?"

"Your my jailers, why wouldn't it?"

"Then you should know that none of us want you here."

She flinched and Alex felt sorry for her. She looked so pathetically small, standing there in his oversized shirt. But he reassessed his opinion as her head went back and her eyes sparkled in defiance. She shrugged as she started to speak.

"I already knew that. What I don't understand is why you won't accept my help to get at those who were in any way responsible for Jack's death. But then again, you already know who killed her."

And with that parting quip she left Alex stunned, and whirled away to fling open the door, catching K-Unit and Ben eavesdropping. Hurling the keys at Ben she marched back into her room and slammed the door.

Ben whistled low. "Wow, we have a wild one on our hands." He looked at Alex who looked ready to murder someone. "Care to explain why she was wearing one of your shirts?"

"Or how come you're back so quickly and we never heard the door go?" Eagle slipped in.

Alex glared at the men in the doorframe and turned to look for his iPod. Then remembered that it was in his shirt pocket. In the shirt he'd given to Rose.

He groaned but shoved his way past the SAS men and Ben to knock at the door Rose has just disappeared through.

"What?" She said as she opened the door. His shirt draped over her body, iPod sticking out of his top pocket. Alex gestured towards it. She raised her eyebrows and stripped the shirt off of herself, shoved it in Alex's direction and closed the door in his face.

"What did she mean you know who killed Jack? I thought you said it was Scorpia?"

He breathed out heavily. "I don't want to talk about it Ben. And the only way she knows is if she was there."

Cheetah, or Will, looked intently at the tired, insecure, emotionally damaged boy in front of him. Because that's what he was, Will saw, a boy. One who was tired and wanted to relax but was unable to. You didn't ask questions of a psychologically damaged soldier in the way that James, Kyle, Drew and Ben were asking of Alex. A person like Alex had to trust you first.

But Will hardly knew the boy and the only things he knew were that he had a passing resemblance to Cub (an unorthodox member of K-Unit, was how Will thought of him) and that he was one of the best Agents MI6 had ever employed. Only beneath James Bond.

"Come on, guys," he said, "give the guy a break. Plus considering the dinner he put on the table, I can't wait for breakfast and if you're not careful he'll refuse." And with that he turned Kyle around and headed back to his room to catch up with that lovely dream that the noise had woken him from.

Alex hid a smile as Cheetah stood up for his privacy and told the others off for their interference. Ben gave him a worried glance, but with a nod from Alex, he headed back to the room he was sharing with the assassin.

Cheetah crept back into the room; "she's one hot babe, kid." He grinned and winked at Alex before sliding back to his room.

Alex almost laughed at the absurdity of it all. But underneath he was still shocked that Rose knew.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

It was six-thirty in the morning and Alex already had a plan. His bike was outside and his bag packed with the necessary pens, books and papers.

After showering he went into the kitchen and knocked up a full breakfast for all members of this impromptu family. By the time half-seven came around everyone except Alex and Rose were tucking into a full breakfast. Rose had just grabbed a slice of toast and pleaded not hungry while Alex slipped out of the room, leaving them to it.

He was on his bike and had his helmet on by the time Ben burst out of the apartment. "You can't go, Alex! I promised that you'd stay here!"

Alex revved his engine, 'fraid I lied when I said not going was fine, Ben. I'll be home around five."

And with that he zoomed off, leaving Ben on the pavement staring after him.

Alex was just happy to do as he wanted. To get away from it all, to keep some sort of normality. He spied Tom as he parked his Yamaha and made his way straight to him. His classmates stared as they watched him pass and then the whispering began. He'd never been gone for a day and then turned up again.

"Hey, Tom, Sophia. You got a minute?" He directed at Tom.

"Sure." Tom said. "I'll see you later." He said to Sophia as he gave her a peck.

"I'm not going anywhere." She said frostily. "Anything you wish to say to Tom can be said in front of me."

Alex scowled at Sophia but still gave Rose's letter to Tom. "What do you think?"

Tom's eyebrows went up and up with each line. But he was careful not to let Sophia catch a glimse of the contents of the letter. "I think, she seems like the kind of person who would do and say the things she wanted to and not lie about it." He paused, thinking over his words, cautious of Sophia's presence. "That coupled with her actions say she wants to do this, Alex. See if she can right her wrongs. Listen, mate, you want to go skating later?" Tom put the matter right out of his mind and waited for an answer.

Before Alex could speak, Sophia broke in; "Who is this 'she'? And what do you mean 'right her wrongs'?"

When the boys exchanged looks, she continued; "You know what? I'm feed up of being the third wheel. You obviously know where Alex goes and what he does, so you can continue with your bromance, I'm fine without either of you!" She turned to stalk away, but Tom caught her wrist.

"Alex." Was all he said, but Alex knew exactly what he meant. His best friend was in love with his girlfriend and would do anything not to lose her.

"She won't believe me without proof, Tom."

"You've got me. Please, mate." Tom said desperately.

Alex sighed. "Fine. They'll kill me, but fine." From the alarmed look on Sophia's face she thought he was being serious.

"I was over reacting, Sophia. They'll have to deal with it. In fact they don't have to know. They don't know Tom knows. Come on, we'll go to the common room, drinks are on me."

"But," Sophia spluttered.

"But what?" Alex asked. Now that he knew what he was going to do, he took complete control.

"I'll miss first period!"

"Either you want to know, or you don't. Up to you."

"Alex." Tom warned.

Alex shrugged and spotted Ben striding over towards them, Rose in tow. She was wearing the damn leather pants and halter top again. Alex frowned and wondered where K-Unit was. He rolled his eyes as he saw them in watchful civilian mode.

"Do you not own any other clothes, Rose?" He spoke loudly to cover the distance between them. She scowled back at him.

"Wait," Tom said. "That's Yassen's kid?"

"What did you think she was, Tom? A sack of potatoes?"

"Hell no, maybe she only thinks its hate, mate. I mean, look at - omph"

Sophia had elbowed her boyfriend in the ribs. "What was that for?" He said indignantly.

"You know full well what that was for Thomas Harris."

"Good elbow." Rose complimented. "I'm Rose. I don't suppose you took physics, did you?"

"Afraid not, I leave that to the geeks here." She indicated Alex and Tom. Rose laughed.

"Good." She said. "Cause the physics class got the wrong impression of me."

"Oh, my god." Sophia, drew in a breath and her eyes went as wide as saucers. "You're Ivy."

"And you must be Tom's girlfriend, Sophia Medlock."

Sophia nodded. "Tom, how do you know her?"

Tom sighed and glanced wearily at Ben and Alex who were having a whispered argument a few feet away. "She knows me, because I'm the only person who hangs about with Alex anymore." He paused. "So I'm a target, just like Jack was. She died because she stuck around and wouldn't leave Alex to fend for himself."

To Tom's surprise, Rose's eyes filled with tears. "I promised her that I'd get her out. That I wouldn't let her die like that. I failed."

Sophia flung her arms around the smaller girl. "Hey, it's alright. I'm sure you did you best." She kept on trying to console her but Rose fell apart in the soothing circle of the tall girls arms.

Alex and Ben stared in astonishment as Rose clung to Sophia. They shared a startled glance and then hurried back to the three of them. Tom stood next to Sophia looking completely bewildered.

"Ben, I'm staying here. You take Rose home, I'm sure she'd like a cup of tea or coffee and something to eat. She barely touched her breakfast."

By now Rose had forced herself to stop crying and was staring at the ground.

Sophia looked concerned, but had to let it go as 'Ben' walked Rose away.  
"Come on. You can tell me what that was about as we walk to then common room." Sophia and Tom did just that. Alex's jaw was tight as left the young couple at a table while he bought drinks.

Then he sat down in front of them. Sophia spoke. "Your turn, tell me what happens when you disappear for weeks on end."

Tom and Alex exchanged a series of looks and Tom started. "I know that-"

"I work for MI6." Alex stated bluntly.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Ben's fingers gripped the wheel tightly. He was absolutely furious with Alex, yet knew deep down that continuing in a normal vein was vital to the young man in his care.

Alex still hadn't told them about 'Rose' as he called her. But the small scorpian tattoo on her wrist was a fine indicator, and Ben didn't trust her.

* * *

"Are you insane!" Sophia croaked as she splashed her drink everywhere. "Don't think that I will let you get away with -"

Tom dragged her down and put his hand over her mouth. Then hissed in Alex's direction. "How the hell was that ever going to work! There's no way -"

He cut himself off as Alice, Sophia's best friend, sauntered over. "Are you okay Sophia?"

Tom let go of her guiltily. "Sorry." He said.

"I'm fine, Alice. Thanks. Talk to you later?"

"Sure. If you're sure?"

She nodded and Alice left after fluttering her eyelashes in Alex's direction. He smiled and winked at her as she left. Alex's playboy status was well deserved.

Sophia looked at him in disgust. "Can't you just date a woman normally? Alice has had a crush on you since God knows when. She might be good for you."

Alex smiled bitterly. "It's more a case of what's good for her."

"What?"

"I wasn't lying. Ian -"

"That's his uncle, by the way. Never refers to him that way though."

Alex gave Tom a scathing look. "Ian worked for MI6 in an agent capacity. I thought he worked for a bank, but which banker comes back covered in bruises and with broken limbs?" He drew in a breath. "I put it down to clumsiness, but Ian was never clumsy and always wore his seatbelt. And that; is how I knew they lied about how he died."

"And that, Alex sounds like a fanciful tale." She made to get up again, but it was Alex's hand which stopped her this time.

"What?" She said, half exasperated, half annoyed.

"Sit." Alex commanded. She did. "You just met Rose. She was the girl who saved my life two days ago - I know, feels a lot longer doesn't it." He said wryly. "She used to work for a terrorist organisation called Scorpia. Did anyone mention a tattoo on her wrist?" Sophia shook her head. "I have one too." He said.

She shook her head again. "You're crazy. I can't believe you fell for this tosh, Tom."

"You didn't see him, Sophia." He shook himself out of his black mood at the thought of losing Sophia. "Can't you see how his eyes are different to everyone else's? Can't you see the way he moves? Talks? He spent ten days at this SAS camp we're all going to at the end of the month. And believe you me; he got it in the neck."

Alex grinned. "I gave as good as I got. Kicked Wolf out of the plane."

"Saved his career more like."

"Urgh! Can you hear yourselves! You sound insane!"

The boys looked at each other and burst out laughing. Tom stopped in a reasonable amount of time, but Alex couldn't seem to catch his breath and carried on.

Tom looked on in delight as his friend's whole mood lifted.

"Can't . . . breathe . . ." he choked out.

Tom's mouth twitched as he fought not to laugh again. Sophia looked on in amazement, it looked as though neither of them had the opportunity to laugh with each other much.

As Alex finally recovered she said; "Give me some irrefutable proof."

"What like a scar?" Tom asked; "not sure you should be showing my girlfriend any intimate scars."

"Will a tattoo do?" Alex said as he untucked his shirt and pulled the right side up to reveal a Scorpian tattoo.

Tom sucked in a breath, man, Alex I didn't know you actually joined them."

"I don't want to talk about it. Let's just say I came to my senses."

The mood at their table dropped again. "No." Sophia said. "A tattoo is not going to cut it unless someone from you physics class-"

"Why do you have the same tattoo as the girl who killed those men the other day?" Alice was back, this time backed by Phil and Sam.

"Gee, we went to the same chess club." Alex remarked. Tom struggled not to laugh.

"It's all true, isn't it?" Sophia burst out.

"Did I ever say it wasn't?" Alex said dryly. "By the way, you ever tell anyone and you'll be on their hit list." He paused briefly at the stricken look in Tom's eyes. "And I really do not want anyone else to die because of me.

Then he smiled wickedly as the other composed their questions. "What did you think of Rose, a looker isn't she?"

"If I said anything, I think Sophia will kill me."

"She's very pretty, Alex." Sophia said quietly.

"Not my type." Alex replied.

Tom choked and spluttered. "Definitely." He finally said when he was able to breath after inhaling his hot chocolate.

The pause in conversation let Sam interrupt. "a) who's Rose, b) what's with the tattoo and c) who's died because of you?"

"Rose is a friend, a blonde, pretty, half-Russian friend."

Alice, Sam and Phil leant forward. Waiting for the rest.

"Why not, am I not allowed to do what I want with my body and what makes you think people have died because of me?" He paused and watched them regroup. "No." He said. "Leave it. Come on Tom we've got physics. Coming with us Sophia?"

And with that, Alex tried to get everyone who knew his secret out of the way.

Sophia shook her head. "I'll see you later, Tom." She said and gave him a kiss.

Once Alex and Tom had left, the rest of them crowded round the table. But Sophia refused to say anything and instead arranged for a cinema visit to watch 'The Bourne Legacy'. They, of course, insisted that Alex come. And that he bring Rose.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

"I need to borrow you for Friday night."

Rose slipped with the knife she was using to cut the veg and sliced her finger. "What?" She said, putting pressure on the cut. "Sorry, in my own world."

"Tom's going to the cinema on Friday night." He paused. "There's a group of us going and they want you to come along."

She frowned. "What about the fact that I'm a prisoner?"

"I'm heading this, so . . . what I say goes . . . not that they'll be happy about it. Plus I thought you could do with some female company."

"That's awfully thoughtful of you."

"I'm not going to college tomorrow. We're going shopping."

And with that he stormed off to talk to the others, leaving Rose completely confused and cooking the roast _Alex_ had planned for the evening.

She listened to the argument happening in the next room.

"Ben, I have the full authority to do as I wish with her and Scorpia."

"That doesn't mean you can take her shopping and then to the cinema. Unless there's something you're not telling us."

Eagle piped up; "she was wearing your shirt."

"Look if you're that interested, come along. Blend in, see what happens."

"How are you going to stop her from running off?" Cheetah asked.

"I won't need to." Alex replied. "You'll all be there. She's only a seventeen year old girl, she can't be that much trouble." He said dryly, thinking back to the first time he'd walked into the flat.

"What about money tomorrow?" Snake asked, ever thoughtful.

"I've got far too much of the stuff, danger money, Drew. I won't have the chance to spend it, so why waste it?"

Drew – Rose thought it was Snake – spoke; "Your choice."

Wolf butted in. "We will be there, Alex. We have a duty to be."

"Whatever." He replied and walked out of the room. Alex was not looking forward to Friday evening. At all.

His phone went off in his pocket. _"Sorry you got cornered mate! :/" _Alex smiled. Tom wasn't sorry in the slightest. He believed it wasn't healthy to keep himself locked away from everybody. And Alice probably had something to do with it too.

Tom wanted him to be normal, too date. That wasn't happening soon and Alice might just be discouraged if he kept Rose close to him at all times.

Thinking of Rose, he remembered he'd left her in charge of dinner. Better make sure she was okay. She seemed clumsy in the kitchen, cutting herself, dropping plates and falling over.

With that in mind he searched out a plaster, ignored the looks from the other men and marched back into the kitchen.

"Here." He said and shoved the plaster at her, while taking complete control of the kitchen and within seconds had everything in the oven or on the stove simmering away.

"You have no idea how much I hate you." She muttered, Alex barely caught it, but he grinned.

"I have some ground rules from Friday."

"Okay…" She said with an obvious _go on _gesture.

"Firstly, you will not talk to anyone about anything. Only small talk." She nodded. "Secondly, you will stick to me like glue. I've already been warned of the consequences of breaking Alice's heart and it stops you from running off, kapesh?"

"So, basically, you want me to play girlfriend and cling to you."

Alex shifted slightly. "When you put it like that . . . yup."

She glared at him, but Alex wasn't bothered. She looked cute when she was angry. "Better make sure they get fed."

And with that they continued to cook dinner. The rest of the evening passed off smoothly but, once again, at around three in the morning, Alex was making himself tea.

Cheetah joined him, looking haunted.

"Tea?" Alex asked.

"Please." He replied.

"What brings you down so late?"

"Can't sleep." Cheetah said, grateful for the tea Alex gave him.

Alex spoke; "Sucks, doesn't it?"

He nodded by way of agreement. "I'm Will, by the way."

"Drew, James, Kyle and Will. I can remember that."

Will smirked. "But whose who?"

"Drew is snake, the medic. James is Wolf – can't forget that one. Kyle is Eagle, sharp-shooter – keeping out of his way I can tell you. And you're Will, formally known as Cheetah."

Will grinned again, but then sighed. "You look so young, definitely under 20 . . . And yet you seem so experienced. You don't sleep the night through, and you should. Hell, that's what we're here for, to protect the citizens of Great Britain. Especially the young and old. You shouldn't be so young. You should be at Uni or something."

"I do my best. It's in my nature to do this job." He leant back on his chair, tipping it onto two legs. "Plus I enjoy it, trouble always finds me, I'm lucky; I don't have to go looking for it." He said dryly.

Will let out a barking laugh. "I'll bet." He broke off for a moment. "What are you going to do with her?"

"Tomorrow, I'm taking her shopping. Today actually." He corrected. "I can't let her keep wearing those damn leather pants.

Will barely hid a laugh, seems like someone was having trouble with their hormones. "I meant overall. I mean we can't just keep her here."

"When you go back to Brecon, she'll join your unit. So will I. I need to decide whether I can trust her. Tom says . . . I mean, I figure that I can. She's been honest the whole time she's been here, and I think something about Scorpia seriously scares her."

"Whose Tom?" Jase had caught the only but Alex had slipped on.

"Nobody. Just someone I know from work."

"Don't believe you." He smiled tightly. "He's that kid we saw yesterday. When Rose was having a mini breakdown on the guys girlfriend."

"He's also called Tom."

"He's _the_ Tom. Alex I'm smarter than you seem to think."

"I don't know what you're talking about. Tom doesn't know anything."

"Then why is he dragging you down to the cinema tomorrow?"

"'Cause he's a sucker to his girlfriend's wishes. And his girlfriends best friend has a crush on me."

"And that makes a difference because?"

"Because Tom wants me to be normal."

"Are you repeating a year or something, cause Brooklands is a secondary school."

"No."

"So you're not yet twenty. You're 18 at the very least, right?"

Alex just smiled. "I'm back off to bed, see if I can get a couple of hours snoozing before I begin my torture." He grinned and walked out of the room.

Will sighed, the kid definitely had something wrong with him. He had a suspicion that he wasn't even 18 yet.

"Oh, oh, oh! Can I get those? Please!" Rose was practically jumping up and down, pulling on Alex's arm. He smiled indulgently and gestured for her to lead the way. The pair had almost finished their shopping, Rose was quick and practical when it came to choosing clothing, however, when it came to shoes she went completely overboard.

At the moment she was looking at a pair of black leather knee high boots that had a small heel. It had to be said that she'd already bought five pairs of shoes and two pairs of boors. Alex wasn't really bothered, it amused him no end, however judging by the looks on K-Unit's and Ben's faces' they weren't.

He followed her into the shop, listening to a familiar voice talk to a shop assistant in the next row. Sophia. Alex tried to usher Rose away from Sophia, but she was having none of it.

"What the hell, Alex?" Was her sophisticated exclamation, which, of course, caught Sophia's attention and she peeked though the shelves to spy none other than Alex Rider himself with the Rose-girl she had met the other day.

She hurried around the corner, but Alex had already dragged Rose out of the shop and away. Disappointed Sophia drooped but on beholding some knee-length black leather boots, with small fashionable heels, she forgot all about Alex and his mysterious life.


	12. Chapter 12

**Decided to do a disclaimer this time!**

**Disclaimer – this is a fanfic of the Alex Rider series by Anthony Horrowitz and is not an original piece of work. I take no credit for it.**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter Twelve

Alex spotted Tom and the rest of them just by the bus station that was situated outside of the nearest cinema. He walked up to the group with Rose clinging to his arm. He still hadn't seen her with her hair up, although he had suggested it for this evening.

Over the past week, Alex had come to terms with a beautiful assassin. It made sense in a weird way.

Last night it had only been Alex and Rose drinking tea at three a.m. She'd only come into the kitchen when she was sure it was just Alex. But even though that made it twice that she'd slipped Ben's guard, Alex had begun to trust her.

This evening they were off to watch the Bourne Legacy. Tom had a funny sense of humour – the guy was basically a spy, an agent or soldier of some kind. Sophia greeted Rose as if she was a long lost sister. Leaping forward and hugging her tightly – what the rest of the group didn't know was that Sophia was asking why she'd seen her and Alex in the shoe shop yesterday. Rose just smiled and muttered something about some boots she'd seen and that Alex was gracious enough to get them for her.

Ha! Rose thought. That'll definitely seem like a couple thing. She felt a grin tug at the corners of her mouth and suppressed it. She would not enjoy spending the evening hanging off Alex's arm like some slut he picked up off the street!

Alex managed to avoid serious conversation, dodged questions about why he hadn't been in today and led the way into the cinema pushing Rose along in front of him.

* * *

Sitting in a darkened room, surrounded by Alex's friends, with a warning hand on her thigh, Rose had a right to be nervous.

Especially when she was more aware of Alex's hand than she should be. In fact she didn't have a clue what movie they were supposed to be watching. One of the girls, Alice, was glaring at her, while the two boys she hadn't met before tonight, Phil and Sam, kept glancing at her and then at Alex.

A quarter of an hour before the end of the film she could no longer stand the tension. Alex had cleverly avoided questions on the way into the cinema, but the way out would be loaded with questions.

She made to stand up. Alex squeezed her thigh in warning. She leant over to him; "I need some air." She said. Alex studied her for a second, his gaze unreadable.

"I'll come with you, hang on." Alex leant over to Tom, spoke to him for a second and then stood tugging Rose up by the hand. She almost tripped over Alice's feet and was bewildered by the antagonistic glare that she gave her.

Outside the cinema Alex dropped her hand as soon as possible and put distance between them.

"Sorry for pulling you out of there." Rose said.

Alex just shook his head, telling her it was fine.

* * *

James watched as Alex tugged Rose out of the cinema. He saw Alex let go of her hand and then lean against a wall, studying Rose. She spoke and he shook his head in response.

"Look cosy, huh?" Eagle spoke into his coms unit. K-unit were spread out around the cinema, covering all main routes away from there and into town.

Wolf was right outside the cinema and Eagle of to his right. Eagle was the only other person in the unit who could see Alex and Rose, and he _was _going to comment on it.

Wolf could already hear the curiosity and disapproval in Fox's voice; "What!? What are they doing?"

Eagle snorted, "steady on, old man, I promise it's PG."

"She's still a Scorpia agent and I don't trust her. She's hiding something."

Snake's Scottish accent came through the coms; "She's running scared. It's obvious when I think about it. She came to us, but she doesn't trust us. She's exhausted, not sleeping."

Fox was still suspicious though. "Doesn't mean she's trustworthy."

"Whatever you want to think, buddy." Eagle said. They were silent for a few minutes. Cheetah broke the silence; "what are they doing anyway? It's freezing out here."

Wolf grunted. "No idea." He glanced at his watch. "Film finishes in just under ten minutes."

As Wolf spoke, Alex reached over to Rose and spoke. Rose quickly turned and made her way back inside just missing Alex's hand. Alex frowned and followed her in.

* * *

Alex was not having a good evening. First off he had been cornered into going to the cinema with Tom and co. and then Alice had spent the entire time glaring at him and Rose, which had made the hairs stand up on the back of his neck as they always did when someone looked at him for a long time.

His only escape had been when Rose couldn't stand it any longer and now, they had to go back in. Alice, Sam and Phil would no doubt be wondering why they had run off and Alex was prepared to give them a reason, or excuse. He just hoped Rose didn't either. He was too frustrated to do anything else.

He sped up to catch up with Rose and then crowded her back against the wall watching her eyes widen. He paused watching her face and the evident fear and arousal. The second part he could understand, he was feeling the same, but the first? Not a clue.

He dismissed it. "They'll be wondering why we ran off, you know." He said casually as he bent his head to her neck.

"Mmmm…" She replied, half pushing him away with her hands, but holding onto his shirt at the same time, not letting go.

He nuzzled her neck and smiled to himself when her grip tightened on his shirt. He still had it. "We might as well give them something to talk about."

Rose froze for a second and Alex felt her heart beat quicken and then she curled her fingers into his shirt as tightly as she was able to. "Something… to talk about?" She asked huskily.

Alex groaned and captured her mouth in a hard, fast, bruising kiss, pushing one hand up and tangling it in her hair while the other wrapped around her waist. Rose's hands stayed on Alex's shirt, but on tippy-toe she held on even harder.

The kiss lasted less than thirty seconds but left the pair of them panting. Alex pulled back and looked at Rose's swollen and bruised lips. He released his death grip on her hair and took her hand pulling her back to the film, with a slightly glazed look in her eyes. Oh, hell yes, Alex still had it.

The rest of the group stared in disbelief when they took their seats for the final minutes of the film. Alex smirked and looked at Rose again, taking in what the others would see. Mussed hair, swollen lips and that mask of complete composure had slipped leaving a look of adoration that Alex knew was for show.

He saw that Rose's eyes had darkened and taken her far away from the cinema, thinking deep, dark thoughts. She had already pulled away from him and there wasn't a thing he could do about it.

* * *

The group made its way slowly out of the cinema, Alex and Rose lagging behind, Phil and Sam trying to hurry them up.

It was Alice who finally gave in. "How did you guys meet?" She asked, gritting her teeth as she waited for an answer.

Alex took Rose's hand and smiled at her. "She helped me out of a tricky situation."

Rose grinned at Alice; "He's kept me prisoner ever since." Alex gripped her hand in warning as he heard K-unit laughing in his ear piece, which he'd switched on after the movie. Rose didn't have one.

Even Alex didn't fully trust her yet.

"Our Alex had the most mysterious secrets don't you think, Rose?" Phil said as he walked close to Rose's left, Alex holding her hand in a tight grip to remind her to watch her words.

Rose was pissed at Alex. Pissed at herself as well for acting like such a hussy. Hadn't she said that she wasn't going to be the slut hanging off of Alex's arm all evening? He was definitely paying for this… and for the hand squeezing thing – did he not know his own strength? "Mysterious as in goes for a run in the dead of night in his pyjamas, or mysterious as in…" She cocked her head to one side in a show of curiosity, while the rest of the group stared at Alex.

Alex almost glared at Rose, but caught himself just in time and forced a laugh instead, but pulled her even closed into his side. "Why don't we head over to the café? Grab a hot chocolate or something?" He said avoiding answering and pulling Rose across the road immediately.

"Did I not tell you to mind what you said?" He whispered harshly.

She raised her eyebrows at him; "What, telling them that you went for a run in the dead of night qualifies? I think you'll find I just insinuated that I'd been sleeping with you, not that that was my intention." She sounded cranky and frustrated. "And would you mind not holding my hand so tightly. I can't feel it." She tried to pull away from him. Alex didn't let her.

"What is the matter with you? You were perfectly fine five minutes ago!"

"That was five minutes ago," She hissed. "And now I'm not." Rose glared at him, wishing she could put all the blame on him, but… she'd kissed him back.

"Why do girls always do this? I kiss you and now you're pissed off at me."

"Girls!" Rose shouted forgetting to whisper, she glanced back at the rest of the group who were hanging back, and lowered her voice again. "Don't you dare generalise! You have no idea what's up with me, none. You hardly even know me."

"Well then help me to get to know you! You don't talk to any of us! How am I supposed to know you?" Alex could hear K-unit in the background giving him advice or laughing. He ripped the ear piece out and stuck it into his pocket.

"You're not here to get to know me, Alex. You're here to do your job-" He cut her off and swung her around to face him, hands on her upper arms.

"Let go of me!" She hissed. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

Alex kept his voice low, aware that Tom was trying to attract his attention and ignored him. "I'm the person who's going to keep you from Scorpia's clutches, understand? You have to trust me." He looked into her eyes making sure that she understood. Then let her go.

"Trust isn't given, Alex." She said coldly. "It's earn't." She folded her arms and faced Sophia and Alice. Alice was smirking and Rose wanted to wipe the stupid thing off her face. She gritted her teeth and spoke to Sophia. "I was thinking I want the hot chocolate with all the cream and marshmallows. You?" She smiled at the girl, glad that she had one other person who was ignoring Alex.

Sophia smiled back at her. "You know what? I think I will. Would you like one as well, Alice, Tom?" She glanced back questioningly at Sam and Phil as well.

Tom took in the nodding heads and took Sophia's hand. "I think that's a resounding yes all round. How 'bout you, Rose and Alice head on over and get the drinks. I need to talk to Alex a minute." Alex raised his eyebrows at Tom.

"Okay." Sophia said and gave Tom a peck on the cheek. "We'll be back in a moment, coming Rose, Alice?"

"I'll stay here." Alice said. Sophia frowned at her friend but didn't say anything, as she and Rose walked away to the counter.

"What the hell was that, Alex?" Tom demanded the second the girls were out of earshot.

"What was what, Tom?" Alex asked sitting at the edge of the booth, next to Alice. Tom sat opposite him next to Phil and Sam. All three were watching the exchange between the best friends with avid curiosity.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Alex. That! With Rose!"

Alex leant back into his seat. "It was nothing, Tom. Just a little disagreement about our…" Alex glanced at the other listening in around the table and sighed. "Our arrangement, Tom."

Alice pounced on the word 'arrangement'. "Arrangement?" She said. "What _arrangement_ exactly are we talking about?"

Tom glared at Alice. "Well, what are you going to do about it?"

Alex sighed and ran a hand through his hair, tired. "I don't know, Tom. I just don't know." He looked over at Sophia and Rose, tangled emotions rising inside of him. She stood for everything he hated and yet, she was a fragile, volatile, beautiful girl. He just didn't know what he was going to do, but one thing was certain. Rose was his.

* * *

Rose tore her eyes away from Alex and focused on Sophia, trying to put the hurt and anger back into it's box, but it wasn't going away. Which was strange. It always went away. Maybe it had finally happened; maybe she had found something to make her feel again. Not something, she reminded herself. Someone. Alex.

But no, she was alone; she was always going to be alone no matter what she pretended. She might play the slutty girlfriend for tonight – god! What was wrong with her! She's insinuated that she'd slept with him for crying out loud! – and she didn't do that. She didn't sleep around. Not with anyone. Never. Even thinking about it she was reminded of Ray.

She shot a glance around the café. _As if he'd follow her_ she thought to herself, _he'd only delivered the punishment, he didn't care about her one bit_.

"Ohh," Sophia was saying. "They've got flakes as well! Please, please, please say you'll have one, then I can have one without feeling like a complete pig!"

Rose smiled in spite of her mood. "Of course, there's nothing quite as good as chocolate!"

Sophia glanced quickly at the table where the boys and Alice were sat and then back at Rose. She bit her lip and looked at the queue. Then back at Rose.

A smile flirted with Rose's lips; "Go on, say whatever it is that you're bursting to say."

Sophia jumped and smiled guiltily. "Sorry," she said and frowned. "I know you're mad at Alex, and I know you're not actually together, but I think you guys have chemistry." She confided. Rose blinked. "Alex is a good guy, not always there perhaps and rather complicated." She sighed. "I'm not trying to make excuses for him, but he likes you. I mean really likes you." She studied Rose's expression. "I can tell you don't believe me, so I'll say no more, let's see if we can get extra marshmallows and pelt Tom with them." Sophia looked over at Tom and winked, he sat up, alarmed with a 'what-are-you-up-to' look on his face.

Rose laughed. "You're on. If you can hit him in the face, 50 points." She paused for a second. "But if it lands in his hot chocolate minus 10."

Sophia giggled and spoke to the lady behind the counter; "seven hot chocolates with everything, please, and could we get some extra marshmallows please?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey readers…**

**If you're enjoying this story, head on over to – the sister site of Fanfiction – where you'll find some of my original works! They can't get any worse than this right? **** I'm under the same pen name so I'm easy to find, let me know if you like them and as always…**

**I know that I said that I wouldn't be updating until after my exams, but this was already half written and I completed my coursework – A's all round! – so I decided you guys got to celebrate to! However, I will not be posting until after the 12****th**** June for any of my stories, sorry. **

**Happy reading guys and don't forget - Read and review! Critics welcome! **

Chapter 13

Alex was picking the lock into Rose and Ben's room. It was mid-night on Sunday. Three hours before they all needed to get up and get going to Brecon.

Two weeks had passed since the cinema outing (and the marshmallow fight) and Rose was avoiding Alex.

Alex, however, was determined to talk to her. He glanced towards Snake's door as he heard the man cough, the rustle of sheets and then the sigh of a contented sleeper. Finally the door clicked open. _Yes,_ he thought just as a fluffy pillow smacked him upside the head. He and his attacker fell to the floor, Alex bracing himself and making the impact as soundless as possible.

Alex's hands closed on bare leg, seconds before the pillow was removed from his face.

"What the hell?" Rose whispered fiercely at him. "I thought you were an intruder."

"So you attacked me with a pillow?"

"What else am I going to attack you with?" She made to stand up. Alex kept hold of her legs. Rose glared at him.

"Ben's gun?"

"It's not in here."

Alex raised his eyebrows. "You looked?"

"I'm an assassin; my job is to know where weapons are all of the time. What do you want anyway?" She asked. Alex was silent for a moment. Ben snorted in his sleep and shuffled around, obviously disturbed by their whispered argument. He let go of her legs and she stood up, moving away from him as quickly as possible.

"We need to talk." He said as he got up slowly and handed the pillow back to her. "Put some clothes on and come out to the kitchen, I'll make some tea."

Alex left the room and Rose looked down at her bare arms and legs, her tank top twisted from the struggle and showing off most of the left hand-side of her chest. She sighed, glanced at Ben before grabbing a shirt, jacket and jeans and going to the bathroom across the hall. If Alex was going to make her talk to him, she was going to have a shower first.

"Okay." She said fifteen minutes later as she arrived in the kitchen, hair still damp and tangled, jacket hanging off one of her shoulders. "What are we talking about?"

Alex swung his chair back onto all fours. "Sit." He said. She glared at him but sat. Alex pushed a cup of tea towards her. "First things first, you're avoiding me. Why?"

Rose blinked and took a sip of tea. "I'm not avoiding you, we have conflicting schedules." She looked completely relaxed, as if she were out to tea with an old friend, rather than being interrogated by the best spy in the country.

Alex drew in a sharp breath and his jaw twitched, but he dropped the subject. It wasn't that important. "We need to talk about Scorpia."

She met his eyes and nodded.

"Tell me why you want to leave. You know their motto, you'll never be truly free of them."

Fear flashed in her eyes, but she held his gaze for a moment, then lowered her eyes and cup. She glanced towards the door and then back at Alex for a split second. "Pass." She said.

Alex leant forward over the table, catching one of her hands. "You don't get a pass, Rose." He said. "Not with your background, I need to know what you know in order to help you."

Rose pulled away. "I won't tell you that. Not now. It's personal and private. I'll give you names, locations, safe-houses, base codes, radio frequencies. Anything, but just not that. I'll just say one thing." She paused and glanced at Alex, judging his expression. "I was there. I told her that I'd get her out. I failed. I'm so sorry." Her hands in lap, she looked down, shoulders scrunched.

Alex just sat there, his expression blank. He'd known that she'd been there. She'd made that clear on the first night. But to know that she'd tried to save Jack… His eyes tightened. He blinked and swallowed the tears back. He'd thought it a bluff. Somewhere between 35 and 50 people were killed or injured that night because he'd called their bluff.

It seemed the entire household had been there that night. Wolf and K-unit on the side-lines while Rose and Alex were on the inside, on opposite sites, but there nonetheless.

Alex threaded his fingers putting his elbows on the table and balanced his chin on top. He sniffed. "I'll get you some paper. Write down everything you can remember now, and add to it over the next week or so, okay?"

Rose looked up, unable to believe that he was ignoring the subject. She nodded mutely. Alex stood and strode out of the kitchen, looking for a note book. Rose stayed where she was sat and took another sip of tea.

Alex came back after a minute or two, and gave her the notepad and pen he'd found. Rose immediately opened it to the first blank page and began to write. It was obvious to Alex that she'd been collecting information for this exact reason as she scribbled it all down logically. Rose had obviously been planning an escape route for some time.

All Alex had to do was twiddle his thumbs and drink his tea as Rose continued to write down everything she could remember. It took about ten minutes before she put the pen down and began to skim read. Her brow crinkling slightly as she tried to see if she'd forgotten anything. Finally she put the pad down again, added a couple of lines and then sighed.

"I'll have another look at it later. That's all I can remember right now."

"How long have you been planning your escape?"

She glanced up at him and smiled sadly. "A while."

They sat in silence for a moment, peaceful, before a loud curse split the air and the sound of a person rushing to put on jeans brought smiles to their faces.

Ben rushed into the kitchen; gun in hand, jeans undone, only to find Alex and Rose with perfectly straight expressions watching him, tea in hand. He closed his eyes momentarily, put the safety back on his gun, before tucking it into the waistband of his jeans and doing them up.

"Any tea left in the pot?" He asked.

Alex put his hand on the teapot; "it's barely warm, sorry Ben."

Ben nodded and went over to the kettle. "What are you both doing up so early?" He asked as he filled it with water and turned it on.

Alex gestured to the notepad still on the table. "Getting the information I should have got weeks ago off Rose."

Ben nabbed a cup from the cupboard, stuck a teabag in it and grabbed a teaspoon, "it couldn't wait till morning?"

Alex leant his chair onto its back legs and smiled at Ben shaking his head. Ben glanced between the two of them for a moment.

"Well, since the pair of you are up, why don't you go and finish packing?" He suggested after a beat of silence. Alex looked at Rose and stood. "And don't forget to dye your hair, Alex."

Alex nodded at Ben, drank the last gulp of his tea and pulled Rose out of the kitchen and down the hall into his room, leaving behind a shirtless Ben to ponder the notes Rose had left on the table.

Rose sat on Alex's bed as he grabbed the last few stray pieces of clothing and folded them into his suitcase. He then picked up one packet of dark brown hair dye and one black from the dresser and the package of contacts he'd requested from Smithers.

He handed the brown hair dye to Rose and kept the black. He'd had to buy another box because Rose was coming as well and had met Sophia, Alice, Phil and Sam, so he had decided to go black instead of brown. It made him more unrecognisable. Rose raised her eyebrows at the packet.

"Have you got any dye remover?" She asked.

"What?"

"Hair dye remover. I dyed my hair blonde, it's actually auburn, like my mothers."

"Oh, um, yeah." He found another bottle that had been left over from his last mission. "Here."

"Thanks." She paused for a moment, considering Alex's hair. "If I were you… I'd probably get your hair cut. Military grade, or at least shorter than it is now. It'll be a dead giveaway if you leave it like that."

Alex ran a hand through his hair, grimacing. He hated cutting his hair, hated how long it took to grow back, but knew that Rose was right.

"I'll get Ben to do it before we leave, let's go get the stuff out of your hair."

He turned to the door; Rose slid off the bed and followed him out.

Ben was still reading Rose's notes when Wolf slouched through the kitchen door. He grunted at Ben and made his way straight towards the kettle.

"Make a pot." Ben said. "The others will be up in a minute, we've all got to get ready."

Wolf grunted again, but made a pot.

He sat at the table, opposite Ben, watching him as he flipped the notepad shut and slid it to the middle of the table.

Wolf took a huge gulp of piping hot tea and let his head drop to the table.

"You know, James, I think Alex and Rose could be good for each other."

James glanced up at Ben. "What makes you think that? She's an assassin and he works for MI6."

"He's younger than he looks, James, and I think it's good for him to have someone around who's his age and understands what this world is like."

James scrutinised Ben and then said quietly, "How old is he, Ben."

Ben sighed. "I can't tell you much about him, James. He's a piece of classified information and that's the way my boss wants to keep him." He paused for a moment, considering his words. "And getting Alex to trust a person isn't easy. If I'm going to help him, I need that trust."

James nodded slowly and reached for the notepad still lying on the table. He flipped it open and found rows upon rows of the same neat loopy hand-writing detailing codes, names, places and radio frequencies. Someone had obviously done their homework.

"He finally get around to asking the girl some important questions?"

"Yeah, looks like she's been planning this for a while."

James murmured his agreement as he continued to scan the pages. "That." He said. "Is a lot of information. There's no way they can change all of that before we get there."

"They've had almost three weeks already. But they probably believe her to be dead, rather than the traitor, considering she killed the men who knew."

"So they'll think they're safe."

"No, James, never that. They'll think they are secure for the time being. We haven't attacked or attempted to infiltrate, which means that they don't know this information is here, with us. But on the other hand, Scorpia hasn't survived so long on beliefs. They will change their codes eventually. Rose has given us a head start, but we won't be able to keep it for very long."

James nodded, put the notepad back on the table and took another drink of tea.

"Morning." A sleepy Will said as he slouched into the kitchen going straight over to the cupboard for a glass, raided the fridge for the orange juice and chucked a couple of slices of toast into the toaster. "You want anything?" He asked James and Ben.

Ben shook his head, but James grunted a yes. Will chucked another couple of slices in the other side of the toaster.

"Are those two having a water fight?" He asked James and Ben.

Ben shook his head, grinning. "They're supposed to be dying their hair."

"I sent Kyle in to join them."

James and Ben laughed out loud. Kyle was still a kid, a sharp-shooter, but still a kid.

"Come on, kiddywinks," A voice said, as it came nearer to the kitchen door. "Kyle is hungry and needs feeding." The three men in the kitchen tried to smoother their smiles as a sopping wet Eagle, pushed an equally wet black-haired boy and red-headed girl through the kitchen door.

"They've promised to cook me breakfast, isn't that nice of them?" Kyle beamed at the three men. Will snorted as Alex and Rose pouted.

Alex ran a hand through his newly dyed hair and grimaced. "Ben, would you mind cutting my hair for me?"

Ben glanced at Alex in surprise.

"Rose mentioned that if I want to fit in, I'll have to have a military hair cut."

Ben cut a look at Rose, and then nodded. "I'll cut it just before we leave."

"Thanks Ben." He paused for a moment. "You know, Kyle," Alex said as he looked at Rose who was sopping wet. "Rose has already had a shower this morning." He grinned as she scowled at them all.

"I'll tell you what; I could do with'a shower." A sleepy, Scottish voice said. "But I'll settle for a good cup'a tea first." Drew shuffled into the room and sagged into the only remaining chair.

"Hey!" Will exclaimed. "I was gonna sit there!"

"These are the hero's of our country?" Alex commented to Rose, and when she didn't reply, looked around for her. She wasn't there.

He glanced at the SAS men and Ben and then slipped out of the door. "Rose?" He said as he moved towards the room she was sharing with Ben. "Rose?" He said again. Alex paused in the doorway of the room. She was in there. He breathed out a sigh of relief before realising that she was half-naked.

She turned and gave a girly yelp. "What the hell, Alex? OUT!"

He back-tracked quickly and she shut the door hard behind him. Damn. But god, did she have nice... _No Alex, she's a prisoner for Christ sake, keep your mind out of the fucking gutter!_ He bashed his head on the wall behind him trying to clear it. Drew came out of the kitchen heading towards the bathroom and caught Alex at it.

Drew looked at him strangely. "What are you doing?" He asked.

Alex felt his cheeks heat up. _God, Alex, calm would you calm. You have to hit on girls all of the time to get somewhere when you're on a mission, get your head in the game. Pretend this is all a mission._ "Nothing, Drew, nothing." _Well played, Alex, now he knows something is up! Dollophead!_

Drew was still looking at him suspiciously, but he let it slide, he was too tired to deal with the young spy this morning. "Whatever, I'm going for a shower and then we just about ready to head off to Breacon, okay? Make sure you grab something to eat before we go."

Alex just nodded, still trying to calm his flaming red cheeks. "I'll just, go and... erm... grab something." He scurried back to the kitchen, ignoring Ben, James, Will and Kyle and stuck a couple of slices of bread in the toaster.

Ben raised his eyebrows. "You alright, Alex?"

"Yeah, fine, cool... peachy, Ben, you?" Alex spluttered. Ben and the others glanced between themselves.

"Okay," Ben said. "Make sure Rose gets something to eat as well."

Alex nodded jerkily and grabbed another couple of slices, turning away from the SAS men and finally breathing out. All he had to do was act normally and not like he had seen Rose almost naked. And reacted. To an enemy. Sometimes it sucked to be a man.


End file.
